Addressograph.



C. E WHITTENBERG.

ADDRESSOGRAPH.

APPHCAHON FILED MAR. 20, 1911.

flag.

Patented Dec 17, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- C. t'. WHITTENBERG.

ADDR'ESSOGRAPH.

7 APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20, law. 1,2 ,337, Patemeq Dec.17,1918.

6: 7 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fin/,

.1 ED; STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES EWI-IITTENBERG, or KNOXVILLE, IOWA.

annanssoeaarn.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. WHITTEN- BERG, a citizen of the United States, residing atKnoxville, in the county of Marion and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Addressegraphs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in addressographs.

The special purpose of this i nvention is to provide a simple means in a hand-open ated'machine for stamping addresses on Fig. 2 is a view of a removable address ,plate;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the same;

Fig. i is a perspective of one formof setting mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a view ofa slightly modified form of setting mechanism;

Fig. 6 is atransverse vertical section through the addressograph;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary rear view;

Fig. 8 represents an addressed letter or parcel; and 1 Figs. 9 and 10 are details showing means for fastening the setting mechanism.

A, represents the frame of the machine; 1 is the handle; 2 is the hollow plunger slidably fitted in the hub 3 of the frame A, and held normally in an elevated position by thespring 4, and on the lower end of which is secured the plunger frame 5, which is fitted and guided and capable of reciprocating in the guide-grooves 6 within the vertical sides of the frame A. The plunger frame carries an axle or shaft 7, the ends of which are supported therein, and on which are carried theprinting or stamping-wheels 8, 8, and 9, 9. The wheels 8, 8, carry numbers, as in the ordinary type of numbering machines; and the wheels 9, 9, carry such indicia or legend as may be desired. For instance, as illustrated, on one the letters R. F. D. indicatingrural free delivery, are shown, and on. the other Box with the box number, although it isundersto'od, of course, that a Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 1'7, 1918,

Application filed March 20, 1917. Serial No. 156,163. I

machine of this character might be adapted to a variety of other purposes, in which event other characters might be employed on these larger wheels.

To each side'of each of these wheels 8 and 9 are'attached the ratchets l0, and a pawl framell has pivotally connected therewith a multiple pawl 12 geared to actuate the four wheels 8 to the right, which automatically change successively from box 1 to the highest number to which mail is to be sent.

An inking-pad 13 is hinged at 14, and is pivotally connected with the plunger frame at-15, so that it is positively actuated by the plunger frame; and when the parts are in their normal position, as shown, for instance, in Figs. 1 and 6, the pad is in the position of inking, it being pushed aside and out of the path of the printing mechanism' when the plunger frame is depressed.

The foregoing features are well known in numbering-machines, to which my improvements may conveniently apply.

The plunger frame is extended forwardly to form the arms 16, one on either side, and

these arms terminate at their lower ends with grooves 17, as shown in Fig. 1. Within these grooves the ends 18 of the removable printing-plate 19 are supported, this plate 19 carrying the name of the town. It

is understood, of. course, that as many of these are provided as. there are towns to which mail matter is to be addressed, one being used for all the addresses in a given town. For instance, no matter, how many pieces are addressed for the city of Washington, the same plate would be used for all.

The only other adjustment really required is for the wheels 8, of which two only are shown between the R. F. D. and Box wheels, and this may be done in any approved manner, but, as a convenient means for accomplishing this I have suggested two different mechanismsfas illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. In the former of these, there is a single cross-rod 20 secured at-its ends in the a setting device 24, which has a knob on the outer end, by which it is conveniently manipulated. 'A. spring'25 mounted on this.set-' tingdevice bears upon the pawl 23, and

against the inner face of the plate 26, the

said device extending through a slot 27 in the latter. This slot 27 is of peculiar construction. asshown in Fig. 7, and extends horizontally, and hasthe cross-laterals to permit the adjustment of the spring-actuated pawl 23 along the rod 20 on which it is slidably mounted. So the pawl 23 may be set by sliding the setting device 24 in the horizontal part of the slot to bring thepawl opposite any one of the ratchet-toothed wheels 10. whose whee: 8 is to be adjusted or set. wheriuipon the operator grasps the handle .28 on the end of the rod 20 and pushes the latter down in the slot 29 provided for it. as far as it will go. repeating this operation until the wheel to be set, on which the pawl 23 is engaging. is brought to the proper adjustment.

For instance. suppose the rural freedelivery route is 11. This pawl would be placed opposite theleft-haml wheel 8. and the handle 28 depresseduntil the figure 1 came to the proper position to print. and then the pawl 23 wouldbe shifted to the right. opposite the next wheel 8. and thehandle 28 would be depressed until the number on that wheelis brought to the proper position. The same adjustment would apply to the wheels carrying the letters"R. I I) and "Box." providing those wheels had other indicia thereon and required setting to print R. I I). and Boxf It is understood as illustrated these are the only indicia on these wheels. and consequently they would not. in this instance. require re-setting, Also it is repeated that the setting of the right-hand wheels 8. of which there are four illustrated, is entirely automatic, as is well umlerstood.

A fter the, setting is acctmiplished. and it is desired to remove the pawl 23 from the toothed wheel. this is done by pulling the setting mechanism out .until the notch 30 is opposite the edge of the slot, as shown in the detail Figs. 9 and 10.

In Fig. 5, is shown a slightly modified form in which the rod 31, corresponding to 20 previously described, has a number of pawls 32, that is to say one. for each wheel, to be set, instead of one for all.

So, to brietly're alpitulate, my present invention combines both hand adjustment and automatic set, the hand adjustment for the parts that are only changed at intervals, and the automatic for the numbering mechanism which changes with each operation of the device.

I claim:

1. In an addressograph. the combination with a frame. a spring-actuated slide plunger frame guided therein and carrying l()- tatably settable wheels, means carried by the plunger frame whereby i certain of said wheels are set by hand. and others automat-ieally re-set with each IIIOVQIIIGllt of the plunger. said hand-set comprising a springactuated pawl, a setting device for said pawl, and a handle for actuating said pawl. where by to cause it to set the wheel which it engages, andmeans for locking the pawl out of engagement with the wheel.

An :uldressograph containing a frame,

a springactuated slidable plunger frame,

stamping wheels carried by the plunger frame, certain of said wheels actuated with each movement of the plunger frame. swinging arms pivoted to the plunger-frame. a rod (,(ml'lGCtlHg said arms. a pawl carried by said rod. a handle on the rod, and a plate having longitudinal and cross slots through which the pawl is adjusted, said plate having a slot also to receive the handle.

In testimony whereof I athx my signature.

C. E. IVHITTENBERG. 

